Overhead monorail system



sept19, 1944. A, F, AJESKEY 2,358,487

OVERHEAD MONORIL SYS TEM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 16, 1943 INVENTOR. l HL PHO/V55 /1- /QA/.Jes/(EY W #Wav/(HW ,wrak/vers Sept. 19, 1944. 'A, F. ANJEsKEY OVERHEAD MOYNORAIL SYSTEM Filed March 16, 1943 3 Sheets-Shed 2 INVENTOR ,QL/f/oNse E 19A/Jeske Y www f M Sept 19, 1944. i A F ANJESKEY 2,358,487

OVERHEAD MONORAIL SYSTEM Filed Marh 16, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l gli |11 Fia. 4

if i I 20j "l" l lU/ :(l I H W i i; il i u I INVENToR. .1 4u Ll HL gHo/vse EHNaEs/EY HITQ'PNEYS Patented Sept. 19, 1944 UNITED ASTATE-s PATENT OFFICE OVERHEAD MONORAIL SYSTEM Alphonse F. Anjeskey, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Crane & Engineering Company, Wicklie, Ohio, a'corporation of Ohio Application March 16, 1943, Serial No.`479,315

6 claims.V (C1. 212-126) The present invention relates to a material handling system of the Overhead monorail carrier type.

One of the characteristics of overhead monorail underslung carrier systems is the fact that the carriers thereof readily sway or move out of their normal vertical' position when side pressure is applied thereto or when the load is shifted or unevenly distributed thereon, etc. In many instances this is a disadvantage, and the principal object of the present-invention is Vthe provision of a novel and improved overhead monorail carrier system wherein the carriers are stabilized or, in other words, will not sway or move out of their normal vertical position. The

carriers may be stabilized throughout the entire the rail underslung carrier system of the character the latter of which constitutes the load supporting member and is suspended from the former by cables connected to a hoist mechanism and so arranged that it will not tilt, swing, 'or sway with respect to the upper member. In other words, the Vlower member is stabilized with respect to the upper member. 'f

Among other things, the invention resides in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, and further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a partv of this specification in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts and in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an overhead monorail carrier system embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view approximately on the line 2- of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the system shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a portion of the system shown in Fig. 1 including a transfer switch.

While the apparatus of the present invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, and may be employed in numerous industries for various purposes, it is herein illustrated and described as embodied in an overhead monorail underslung carrier system employed to handleY airplanes and parts thereof. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically an overhead monorail carrier system comprising a closed loop designated generally. by the reference character A about which the carriers, designated generally by the reference character B, are adapted to travel. The monorail system shown also comprises a plurality of branch tracks designated generally by the reference characters C, D, and E connected to the loop A vby transfer switches designated generally by the reference characters F, G and H, respectively, and cross tracks I, J, K, and L. The branch and cross` tracks are for the purpose of bringing or feeding sub-assemblies or parts etc. to the main assembly loop and communicate with either sub-assembly areas such as the overhead monorail carrier loop M shown in Fig. 1, or with storage areas.

Referring to the particular system shown, the main part of the fuselage or frame I0 of the airplane to be produced is assembled at the area serviced by the loop M and thereafter transferred to the main assembly loop A by the carriers N `on the loop M, which carriers may be similar in construction to the carriers B, if desired. After .being`V deposited by the carriers N at the station section II, center wing section I2, rudder and lstabilizer I3, outer wing section I4, motor I5, and landing gear I6, respectively, are assembled with or attached to the main part of the fuselage. The completed airplane is discharged from the system at station V and delivered at the right hand end of the loop A, as viewed in the drawings. The carrier is thereafter returned to the starting position. Obviously operations other than those mentioned may be performed upon the vairplane while suspended from the carrier and any number of carriers may be employed with any number of airplanes in the process of assembly at the same time. VThe carriers may be moved either continuously or intermittently. The method of assembling airplanes and the like, etc. herein disclosed is claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 479,316, led March 16, 1943. .Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 particularly, it will be seen that the carriers B, which are all identi- Vcal in construction, each comprises an upper frame Il and a lower frame I8. 'I'he upper frame I'I which constitutes amovable overhead ysup port is suspended from an I-shapd carrier monorail 20 by trucks located at opposite ends of the frame I1 and connected thereto through the medium of brackets 2| and 22. Both trucks are identical in construction and the particular construction thereof is immaterial insofar as the present invention is concerned. Each truck shown comprises two pairs of flanged wheels 23 pivotally connected to yoke members 24 and 25 which in turn are connected to opposite ends Vof a load bar 26. The brackets 2l and 22 are welded to the upper frame or member l1 h at,its-longitudinal center line and are pivotally connected to the load bars by horizontal pivot pins. V'-I'ha wheels 23 of each pair engage opposite 'horizontal lower flanges of the carrier rail 20. The carrier rail 20 is xed to any suitable overhead support in any convenient manner as by the hanger rods 29 arranged to hold the rail stationary and eliminateside sway. Thehangerrods 29 ,are secured to .the rail `21'! through .themedium of a fixture 30.

The lower frame 1.8 is suspended from the upper frame 1.1 Lby -three pairs of cables3l, 32; 33, `34; '35, v36; arranged ina manner similar to that disclosed lin a copending a/pplication of Arthur L. VMedenwald, Serial No. 516,206, now Patent No. 2,357,443. One end of Veach of lthe cables 33 -to 36 inclusive is connected to the upper frame I1 while the `otherend thereof, together with one end ofgeachof the cables 3l and 32, is connected tothe drum 310i amotordrivenhoist mechanism designatedgenerallyby the reference character 38 through the .medium of iwhich-.the

lower frame 1|.8 may be raised *.or lowered. The endsl ofthe cables3l and 32 other thanthe ends connected -to lthe drum 31 are connected fto a motor driven drum hereinafter ireferred toas the tilting drum, through the medium of which the lower frame I8 may lbe tilted-about a hori rzontal axis. Thecables-3l to 136 inclusive not onlyconstitute suspension means-ibut-also serve as Aguy wires to maintain the llower frame I8 steady with respect to the-upperframe `I1. As shown,-each.cable is arranged insuch manner that the vertical portions thereof form single tackles. However, it will be understood 'that any desired formofltackle may be employed.

The Vvconstruction and -operation ofthe lmotor driven hoist and tilting mechanism, perse, forms no -part of the presentainvention and will not be described -in detail. Suflice it to say that they are adapted to `be controlled from a pendant push button switch station, designated generally bythe reference character 4I, connected -to the lower end of a tubular member 42 `xed'to the upper frame I1. In thepresent instance the member l42 isa rigid member and provides-means for hand-propelling the carrier B about the monorail track. Alternatively, the carriers may be motor driven. The load, in the present instance an airplane, is rigidly supported from the lower 'frame I 6 by members such as tubular frames 43 and 44 connected to the lower frame I8 and Vto `the airplane in such a Vmanner that the airplane is Ystabilized with respect kto the lower frame or member l8.

Both the upper and the lower frames '11 and I8, as shown, are generallyl rectangularin shape and the upper frame I1 is provided with lrollers 45 located on oppositesides ofthe longitudinal center line .of the carrierand spaced .a Considerable distance therefrom. The rollers -45.are on the top of the frame I1 and engage the underside of guide members 46 and 41 located on opposite sides of the carrier rail 20. In the embodiment shown, the rollers 45 are carried by members 48 and 49 welded to and projecting above the Yupper frame l1 at opposite sides of the center line of the carrier and approximately midway of the length thereof. The members 46 and 41 -,are in theform of angle irons supported in Xed position Ywith respect Yto the carrier rail by being welded to vertical brackets 50 connected to opposite ends of cross-arms 5|. 'Ihe cross-arms y5I are in turn fixed to the upper Y flange of the carrier rail 20, as by being welded thereto. .It kis to Vbe understood, however, that the members V46 and 41 which form a trackway or guideway paralleling the carrier rail 20 may be supported in any convenient manner so long as they are xed with respect to the carrier rail. From the foregoing description it will be appar- :ent that the upper frame I1 of the carrier cannot sway with respect to the carrier rail but must remain in a predetermined horizontal plane. Any .tendency of the carrier to Vpivot about the carrier rail'20 isprevented by the engagement of .the rollers .45 with Athe members 46 and/or 41. The guide Lmeans comprising members 46 and 41 etc. can extend throughout the entire system or only a part .thereof las desired.

Referring to Fig. .4, which shows the preferred .construction where a `switch for connecting a. branch track `or tracks is employed, the rail 20 comprising a part of the main loop A is adapted ,to -be connected with the branch track VC by a sliding type switch designated generally by the Yreference .character F. yThe switch F for the -most part is similar to commercial switches being manufactured at the present time by The Cleve- VlandCrane ,& Engineering Company. Suilice it to say .that the switch shown comprises an outer or lsupporting frame 52 suspended in a suitable `manner from the overhead structure to which the rail 20 `:is attached, and an inner or lsliding Iframe 53 slidably supported on the frame 52 and .adapted to be `moved ltransversely of the rail V20 `by operating `chains connected thereto andypass- `ing 5over .the pulleys 54 and 55. 'I'he inner-or A`sliding frameV 53 carries-two sections of rail 56 .and 5,1-the former of which is a straight section andthe latter a 4curved section. When the inner or sliding frame 53 is -in the position shown in Fig. 4, the curved section of track v51 of the switchaligns with the section of rail 20 shown .at -the .lower part of the drawing and the` rail 58 -ofthe Vbranch track C. When V the inner or rsliding vframe 53 .is moved to the position shown indot-dash lines in Fig. 4 of theldrawings, the straight section of rail 56 aligns, with the two ysections of rail 20 shown. l

IWhen the carrier -B is .on the :branch track C the lupper frame AI1 thereof is stabilized with 4.resllect to the carrier rail v58 by members 60 and lfsimilar to the members v46 .and 41 and preferably supported from the carrier rail in a similar manner. It vwill be observed that it is not necessary to shift any part of either ofthe track- .ways for theguide rollersl I45 .when manipulating the switch F to transfer acarrier'from one part vof the-system .to another. Where the carrier rails' `2l) and +58 VApass through -the members 60 and 4.6. respectively, the latter vmembers are mere- 1ply,interrupted. As shown,th ebottom surfaces of thevcarrier rails 20 and 58"align with the bottom :surfaceslofthe members 146,4-1,,6 D.and 6I. While agslidingtype ofswitch Yhas been shown, ity will be understood that the invention is equally ap.

plicable to other types of switches and to electrified switches as well as to manually operated switches.

One of the most important advantages of an overhead monorail underslung carrier system utilizing carriers provided with hoist mechanism is the flexibility of the system, that is the ease with which the load can be raised and/or lowered, the ease with which the runway or rail can be made to conform to particular requirements of the system, and the ease with which the carriers can be shifted from one track or part of the system to another and otherwise moved thereabout. However, as previously stated, one of the objections to such system is the fact that the carriers and/or load pivot readily about the rail, but accordingto the provisions of the present invention this disadvantage is overcome without detracting materially from the flexibility ofv the system. As provided herein neither the lower frame i8 nor the load connected thereto will swing or sway relative to the upper frame I1 or the monorail runway under usual conditions of operation. In the case of an airplane assembly line the usual conditions referred to contemplate an uneven or shifting load such as might be occasioned by assembling parts on one side of the plane in advance of similar parts on the other side, by Workmen walking or climbing about the airplane, particularly about the outer ends of the wings, by placing ladders against the plane, etc. In the event the load is something diierent, for example, a pouring ladle of the order used in steel mills and foundries, the usual conditions referred to would be different.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be apparent that the objects heretofore enumerated and others have been accomplished and that a new and l improved monorail underslung4 carrier system has been provided wherein the load is suspended by cables and stabilized or prevented from swinging without interfering with thev flexibility of the system. While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction shown, and it is my intentionto hereby cover all adaptations and arrangements thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an overhead monorail underslung carrier system the combination of: an overhead monorail; means for xedly supporting said monorail; a carrier supported by and movable along said monorail; said carrier comprising an upper frame member, means for suspending said upper frame member from said monorail, a load member, means comprising three pairs of cables for suspending said load member from said upper frame member, means for operatively connecting the respective cables of each pair to one of said members at spaced points so located that vertical planes embracing the points at which the respective pairs of cables are connected form a triangle at their intersection with a horizontal plane, means for operatively connecting the respective cables of each pair to the other of said members so that the respective cables of each pair are connectedto said last named member at substantially the same point but spaced from and disaligned with the points at which the other pairs of cables are connected thereto whereby the respective cables of each pair are angularly dis..

i engaging said trackway.

4posed to'each other and the respective pairs of cables lie in non-parallel generally vertical planes, and means for letting out and'taking up said cables; a trackway paralleling said monorail but spaced therefrom; means for fixedly supporting said trackway; and means on said carrier 2. In an overhead monorail underslung carrier system the combination of: an overhead monorail; means for xedly supporting said monorail; a carrier supported by and movable along said monorail; said carrier comprising an upper frame member; means for suspending said upper frame member from said monorail, a load member, means comprising three pairs of cables for suspending said load member from said upper frame member, means for operatively connecting the respective cables of each pair to one of said 'members at spaced points so located that vertical planes embracing the points at which the respective pairs of cables are connected form a triangle at their intersection with a horizontal plane, means for operatively connecting the respective cables of each pair to the other of saidmembers so that the respective cables of each pair are connected to said last named frame at substantially the same point but spaced from and disaligned with the points at which the other pairs of cables are connected thereto whereby the respective cables of each pair are angularly disposed to each other and the respective pairs of cables lie in nonparallel generally vertical planes, and means for letting ,out and taking up said cables; a trackway paralleling said mono-rail; said trackway comprising members spaced from said monorail and located on oppositersides thereof; ymeans for xedly supporting said last named members; and means on said carrier engaging said last named members.

3. In an overhead monorail underslung carrier system the combination of: an overhead monorail; means for xedly supporting said monorail;

a carrier supported by and movable along said monorail; said carrier comprising an upper frame member, means including Wheels in engagement with and movable along said monorail for suspending said upper frame member from said monorail, means comprising three pairs of cables for suspending said load member from said upper frame member, means for operatively connecting the respective cables of each pair to one of said members at spaced points so located that vertical planes embracing the points at which the respective pairs of cables are connected form a triangle at their intersection with a horizontal plane, means for operatively connecting the respective cables of each pair to the other of said members so that the respective cables of each pair are connected to said last named member at sub- Y stantially the same point but spaced -from and disaligned with the points at which the other pairs of cables are connected thereto whereby the respective cables of each pair are an-gularly disposedto each other and the respective pairs of cables lie in non-parallel generally vertical planes, and means for simultaneously letting out and taking up said cables, a trackway paralleling said monorail; said trackway comprising members spaced from said monorail and located on opposite sides thereof; means for iixedly supporting said last named members; and rollers on said carrier engaging said last named members.

4. In an overhead monorail underslung carrier system the combination of an overhead monorail;

means for xedly supporting4 said monorail; a

carrier sapprted by and mutable along Said monorailj saifdcarrier comprising an upper trarne imher, alfred member, fdr suspending id upper trame member .frQr'n Said mQnOral, 'means "omn'risine three' pairs 4@if Cables fOr Suabeiidilne 'said lead I riembrrm said upper 'frame inemberfmeans forv op-eratvfely 'connecting the respective cables of each pair'to the upper frame member at spaced points so located that vertical planes embracing the vpoints at which therrespective `p'airs of cables are connectedform a triangle at their intersection With a horizontal plane, ineensv for operatively connecting the respective ncables of each pair to said load member at substantially the same point but spaced from and ``di`saligred with the points at which the other pairs of'cables are connected thereto whereby the "respective cables of each pair are angularly disposed to each other and the respective Apairs v of .cables lie 'in non-parallel generally Vertical planes, and means for letting out and -taking up said cables; a trackway paralleling said monorail but Aspacefl therefrom; means for xedly supporting said trackway; and means Yon said carrier engaging said trackway.

5. In an overhead monorail underslung carrier system the combination of t an `overhead monorail; means for Xedly supporting said nonorail; a carrier supported on and movable along said monorail; said lcarrier comprising an upper frame member, means comprising Wheels inenglagement with said monorail for suspending said `upper frame member from said monorail, a load member, means comp-rising three pairs of cables for suspending said load member from 1J .said upper frame, means for operatively connecting the respective cables of each pair to said upper frame member at Yspaced points lso located that vertical planes embracing the points at vvl'iich the respective pairs of cables are connected form a triangle at their intersection with `a horizontal plane, means for operatively. connecting the respective cables of each pair to said load member at substantially the same point but Ispaced from and disaligned with the points at which the other `pairs of cables are connected ,thereto whereby the respective" cables of` each pair'are angma'iy disposed te each otherand the respective pairs of cables lie in non-parallel gen- Verall'y"vertical planes, and 'means for letting out varid talingup'saidfcables; a trackvvay paralleling l" monorailfsaid trackway'comprising members r"spaced from vsaid m'onlorail and located on 4til'opopsit'-i sides' thereof; means ifor -ixedly support- 'ing Asaid -lastn'amed mernbers;` and means on said carrier'engaging said vlastl named members.

" 6. rIn anlovrheadrnonorail underslung carrier system the Qcolnbination off' an overhead monorail;r means or i'lxedly supporting said monolrail; carrier'suppoited on and movable along .said YruesQrail.: ,Said ar'rir wmbring ,an upper iframe membergm ns 4cemprinsing wheels in enth and movable along said monorail said' upper vframe member from aid siembran, Vafloat-1member, means 'comprising' three pairs kQ fcables'for suspending said lead member iromsaid upper frame, means for operatively @annealing the' respective CableS 0f each pairl to one oaf 'said `upper"frame members at vsii, d peints .Sio .located that' vertical Planes embracingihe points at which the respective pairs of ,cables are Vconnected forma triangle at ltheir intersection a horizontal plane, means or operatively `,corniecting the respective cables of .eachl pair to s ai'dload member at substantially the sanie'point but'spaced from'vand disaligned 'Withthe' .DQtltsat 'which the other pairs o f cables are' .connected thereto v vhereby the respective cables of` each pair are `an-'gularly disposed ,to efaclifother andthe respective pairs Vof cables lie yin ,noni-parallel generallyiverti'cal planes, and nea forsimultaneously letting out and taking 'u'.psaid pairs'bi `cables; a'trackway paralleling Said mo ilsaid' ktra,Clair/ay comprising members "spaced ,from f said nonorail and located on OPQS Sides-thereon 'means for xedly supptg .said lastfnamedfmembers; and rollers 'on said ier engaging the under surface of l.erlincilvsE F. ANJESKEY. 

